HomeMatsya PuranaAdh. 148Shloka 68

Shloka 68

Matsya Purana — Tārakāsura’s Austerity and Boon; Mobilization for War; Bṛhaspati’s Fourfold P...

साम दैत्येषु नैवास्ति यतस्ते लब्धसंश्रयाः जातिधर्मेण वा भेद्या दानं प्राप्तश्रिये च किम् //

sāma daityeṣu naivāsti yataste labdhasaṃśrayāḥ jātidharmeṇa vā bhedyā dānaṃ prāptaśriye ca kim //

Conciliation (sāma) has no place with the Daityas, for they have already secured support and refuge. If they can be split by their own factional nature and group-dharma, what use is offering gifts (dāna) to one who has already attained prosperity?

साम (sāma)conciliation, pacific counsel
साम (sāma):
दैत्येषु (daityeṣu)among the Daityas/demons
दैत्येषु (daityeṣu):
नैव (naiva)not at all
नैव (naiva):
अस्ति (asti)is/has place
अस्ति (asti):
यतस् (yatas)because
यतस् (yatas):
ते (te)they
ते (te):
लब्ध-संश्रयाः (labdha-saṃśrayāḥ)having obtained shelter/support/allies
लब्ध-संश्रयाः (labdha-saṃśrayāḥ):
जाति-धर्मेण (jāti-dharmeṇa)by their group-nature/factional character
जाति-धर्मेण (jāti-dharmeṇa):
वा (vā)or/indeed
वा (vā):
भेद्याः (bhedyāḥ)to be divided/split
भेद्याः (bhedyāḥ):
दानम् (dānam)gifts, bribery, concessions
दानम् (dānam):
प्राप्त-श्रिये (prāpta-śriye)to one who has obtained fortune/prosperity
प्राप्त-श्रिये (prāpta-śriye):
च (ca)and
च (ca):
किम् (kim)what use?/why?
किम् (kim):
Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu on policy and governance)
Daityas
RajadharmaNitiStatecraftDharmaEnemy-policy

FAQs

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on practical rajadharma—how a ruler should assess diplomacy and strategy toward hostile powers.

For a king, it advises realistic policy: avoid ineffective conciliation or bribery when the opponent is already entrenched and better handled through division of alliances and internal factions; for householders, it parallels discerning when gentle persuasion or material concessions will not reform a hardened wrongdoer.

No Vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the verse is purely about political counsel (nīti) within the Matsya Purana’s rajadharma material.